San Diego Musical Theatre Presents Irving Berlin’s White Christmas

San Diego Musical Theatre announces the final production of their 2015 season, IRVING BERLIN’S WHITE CHRISTMAS, December November 27 – December 6, 2015 (press opening on Friday, November 27) at the Spreckels Theatre.

Based on the beloved, timeless film, this heartwarming musical adaption features seventeen Irving Berlin songs, played by a live 22 piece orchestra! Veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, which just happens to be owned by Bob and Phil’s former Army Commander. The dazzling score features well known standards including Blue Skies, I Love A Piano, How Deep Is the Ocean and the perennial favorite, White Christmas. White Christmas is back! Make it a holiday tradition in your family!

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Director: Todd Nielsen; Choreography: Lisa Hopkins; Re-Staging of Choreography: Keenon Hooks; Musical Director: Don LeMaster; Lighting Designer: Michael Van Hoffman; Costume Coordinator: Janet Pitcher; Stage Manager: Art Brickman*

TODD NIELSEN+ (Director) SDMT: White Christmas, The Sound of Music, Singin’ in the Rain. Todd served as Resident Director of Disney’s The Lion King, Cheetah National Tour. Directorial projects include: The 39 Steps and 1776 (Glendale Centre Theatre), Let’s Misbehave, Don’t Dress For Dinner, No Sex Please, We’re British and Proposals (Norris Theatre), The Robber Bridegroom, Frankie and Johnnie in the Claire de Lune, How the Other Half Loves and Master Class (ICT), Company, Urinetown, Lend me a Tenor and Godspell (Chapman University), Dames at Sea (Colony Theatre), A New Brain (Musical Theatre Guild), The Wiz (AMDA), Phantom (Moonlight Stage Productions), Plaid Tidings (Oregon Cabaret Theatre), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Welk Resort), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Croswell Opera House). 

DON LE MASTER (Music Director) Don has been the resident musical director for SDMT, since its inception in 2006. He has musically directed and conducted many shows for other theatres: A Christmas Carol, I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change, Cabaret (San Diego Rep), American Rhythm, Boomers (Lamb’s Players), Superstar, Once On This Island, Ragtime and 1776 – Ovation nomination (Performance Riverside), and many others at Moonlight, Cygnet, Starlight, South Bay Cities, North Coast Rep and McCoy Rigby. The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle honored Don with an Outstanding Musical Direction Craig Noel award for the Full Monty and The Sound of Music.

WHITE CHRISTMAS CAST:

David Engel* (Bob Wallace) Broadway credits include Putting it Together (opposite Carol Burnett), Seussical: The Musical, and the original Broadway production of La Cage aux Folles.  David created the role of Smudge in the original New York production of Forever Plaid, and again in Plaid Tidings and Forever Plaid: The Movie. Last Spring Mr. Engel was honored to star opposite film legend Leslie Caron in the two-hander Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks at the Laguna Playhouse, and he just completed a run as Harold Hill in The Music Man at the Moonlight Amphitheater.  David played the “Bing Crosby” role in SDMT’s first production of White Christmas. 

Allison Spratt Pearce* (Betty Haynes) Allison was in the original casts and albums of the Broadway and Off Broadway, CRY-BABY, CURTAINS, GOOD VIBRATIONS and ENTER LAUGHING. Favorite roles include: SIDE WAYS as Victoria, (La Jolla Playhouse), MY FAIR LADY as Eliza (Capital Repertory Theater), THE GIRL IN THE FRAME as Evelyn (Goodspeed Musicals and Manhattan Theatre Club), CABARET as Sally (National tour), AS YOU LIKE IT as Phoebe, EMMA as Jane and TWELFTH NIGHT as Viola (The Old Globe/USD). Film and television credits, The Smurfs, He Got Game, NY-70 (NBC pilot), numerous national commercials and hosting on HSN.

Jeffrey Scott Parsons* (Phil Davis) Jeff is known to San Diego audiences for his portrayals of Phil Davis in White Christmas, Riff in West Side Story, Skimbleshanks in Cats (SDMT), Billy Crocker in Anything Goes, Bobby Child in Crazy for You (Moonlight Amphitheatre), as well as his appearances in Romance/Romance and Dames at Sea (NCRT). With Musical Theatre Guild in Los Angeles, he’s been in Triumph of Love, Sweet Smell of Success, and Wonderful Town. He’s a loyal member of AEA and holds a degree from BYU.

Tro Shaw* (Judy Haynes) Notable credits include Broadway’s West Side Story (Anybodys); Geffen Playhouse’s Rapture, Blister, Burn (u/s Avery); McCoy/Rigby’s Little Mermaid (Mer-sister); Norris Center’s White Christmas (Judy Haynes); La Mirada’s Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (Sarah); and Utah Shakes’ The Matchmaker (Minnie Fay). Ms. Shaw hails from Berkeley, CA and holds a BFA in Acting from Carnegie Mellon University.

Additional Cast: Jeni Baker, Bryan Banville, Katie Whalley Banville, Amy Beth Batchelor, Tyler Burk, Max Cadillac, William Cobb, Jessica Christman, Crystal Davidson, Janie d’Avignon, Karla Franko, Siri Hafso, Danny Hansen, Kyle Hawk, Jenny Henkel, Ed Hollingsworth, Paul Morgavo, Gabriel Navarro, Joy Newbegin, Claire Scheper, Doug Schmitt, Tara Shoemaker, Ala Tiatia, Michael Van Allen, Debra Wanger.

Video montage link “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” 2014: http://youtu.be/KTsrjCfbjYU

TICKET INFORMATION:
Single tickets for SDMT’s production of WHITE CHRISTMAS are $45.00, $55.00, $65.00 and $75.00. Children 16 and under save $10. There are discounts for Seniors and Students. Equity and Actor’s Alliance may purchase up to 2 tickets at half price. Group discounts for parties of 12 or more are available by calling the Administrative Office at 858-560-5740. For individual tickets contact the Administrative Office at 858-560-5740 or visit SDMT online at www.sdmt.org.

SCHEDULE:

WHITE CHRISTMAS show times are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

LOCATION:

The Spreckels Theatre, 121 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101.  There is parking in the Spreckels garage and the NBC Building. Both are accessed via Broadway Circle.

For more information and tickets call San Diego Musical Theatre’s Administrative Office at 858-560-5740. The San Diego Musical Theatre Administrative Office is located at 4652 Mercury Street, San Diego, CA 92111. Monday-Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.. Tickets purchased through the Spreckels Box Office are through Ticket Master.

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For press information, press interviews, photos or press comps, please contact:

Susan Farese – 408-398-5940 – susan@sdmt.org

San Diego Musical Theatre’s mission is to passionately produce and provide professional musical theatre that ignites the human spirit. San Diego Musical Theatre is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation.